1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to improvements in electrolyte distribution systems and, more particularly, to a new and improved means of activating an auxiliary battery by discharging a stored electrolyte into the cells of the battery.
2. Description of the Related Art
Batteries may be configured to provide a source of direct current for a variety of uses. When two dissimilar metal electrodes are immersed within an electrolytic medium and connected through an external circuit, an electrical potential difference exists between the electrodes. When the cell is discharged or current is drawn from it, the continuous chemical interaction between the electrodes and the electrolytic medium results in a continuous chemical transformation of the electrodes and the medium into altered electrochemical states. For example, in the familiar lead-acid storage battery, when the cell is discharged, lead sulfate and water are formed from lead and sulfuric acid in the electrochemical reactions.
As long as the various elements are in electrical contact with each other, the electrodes and the electrolytic medium will continually react with each other, converting the various components to their respective base-line electrochemical states, reducing the current that can be generated by the battery. As a result, the battery's effectiveness may decrease with age, that is, impose a finite lifetime or half-life of usability. To retard this decreased effectiveness, consumers often place the smaller sized batteries in a cooler environment, e.g., a refrigerator, to slow-down the chemical reactions and thus the resultant degradation. This method, however, only slows down the conversion process. In addition, in some situations, for example, with automobile batteries, refrigeration of the battery is difficult at best.
Alternatively, the battery may be stored dry, without an electrolyte. When a freshly charged battery is needed, the electrolyte is added to the battery. However, since most electrolytes are strong acids, spillage or inadvertent contact with the electrolyte can occur, causing injury to the operator or damage to the surroundings. In addition, conventional batteries have a plurality of subdivisions or cells for receipt of the electrolyte. As a result, distributing equal amounts of electrolyte to each cell may be tedious and time consuming.
These problems are magnified in batteries used in conjunction with various motor vehicles. Vehicles powered by internal combustion engines are generally started by a battery operated starter motor. These starter motors generally have high current requirements, on the order of about three hundred amperes, for periods of a few seconds. If, however, the vehicle operator has left on an accessory, for example, the vehicle's lights, the battery may be drained and is thus unable to deliver the minimum required charge to the starter motor, leaving the operator unable to start the vehicle. To restart the vehicle, the conventional practice includes electrically connecting the dead battery in parallel with another fully charged battery. However, as is often the case, the stranded vehicle operator may not have the cables to provide the required electrical connection, nor may a second battery even be available for electrical connection with the dead battery. For example, stranded boaters may be alone on an isolated portion of a lake or ocean, with no other boat in sight. In addition, since the unintentional draining of the battery is accidental, a spare active battery carried for such emergencies is subject to the deficiencies earlier described.
For these reasons, motor vehicle operators have recognized the need for an improved electrolyte distribution system which reliably and quickly distributes the electrolyte amongst the cells of a dry charged auxiliary battery for immediate charging of the main battery, providing a fresh source of power available on demand at any time. The present invention provides a means of effectively and efficiently distributing the electrolytes in such auxiliary batteries.